Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome Masquerading as Functional Abdominal Pain Syndrome

Abstract

Median arcuate ligament syndrome refers to anatomical compression of the celiac artery and/or ganglion by fibrous attachments of the median arcuate ligament. It typically presents as a vague constellation of abdominal symptoms that are often initially attributed to various other gastrointestinal pathologies; thus, it can be very difficult to diagnose. We present a case of median arcuate ligament syndrome in a 68-year-old woman, whose diagnosis and treatment were delayed by many years as her symptoms were taught to be the result of functional abdominal pain syndrome, ultimately corrected by laparoscopic decompression of the celiac axis. This case demonstrates that surgical decompression of the celiac axis is an effective treatment for median arcuate ligament syndrome and the importance of continuing to reassess the clinical picture of patients labeled with functional abdominal pain syndrome.